Timer



Feb. 9 1926.

E. E. .FOURNIER ET AL TIMER Filed March 28. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z77 22127750 5 (67202142 fbzrl'nlez' 7776750711: Vsial Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMOND E. FOURNIER AND MERTON I. VESTAL, 0F FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

TIMER.

Application filed March 28, 1921.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that EDMOND E. FoURNiER and MERTON I. Vns'rAL, citizens of the United States, residing at Fall River, county of Bristol, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Im provements in Timers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to timers for internal combustion engines, and consists in the novel construction, combination and relation.

Fig. III is a rear elevation of the timer casing with wire cover removed.

Fig. IV is a section along the line IVIV of Fig. III.

Fig. V is an enlarged section diagrammatically illustrating the make and break action and Fig. VI is a detail view of the contact carrier removed.

We have indicated at 1 the timer casing, at 2 the cam shaft, and at G the gear cover of the engine. The casing 1 is mounted upon the gear cover to turn through a portion of a revolution relative thereto when the spark is advanced or retarded, and has an arm 12 operating between stop pins 12 and 12 by means of which it may be turned. See Fig. III.

Fast on the shaft 2 within the casing is a rotor holder 3. As here shown, the holder 3 is a sleeve fitted about the inner reduced end of the shaft 2 and adjustably fastened thereto bya pin 40, see Fig. I, disposed in an arcua-l slot ll out in said reduced end of the shaft 2and held in said slot by a clamping washer 42' and set nut 43 screwed on the threaded inner end of the shaft 2. Said sleeve'3'has' an arm providing an offset socket portion 3 disposed parallel to the axis of rotation. The socket 3 has a longitudinally disposed key way 3 within which Serial No. 456,153.

is lodged a key 3 see Fig. 1, formed integrally on the make and break element 4 for holding said member 4 against rotation in the socket 3.

Such member f, as here shown, is a substantially cylindrical brush socketed at its outer end to receive a coil spring 5. The opposite end of said member f is rounded, the axis of curvature being perpendicular to but offset from the axis of rotation of the shaft At said end the brush 4 is centrally provided with an inserted wear piece or contact surface 4 of a material harder than the body of said brush. See Fig. IV. Preferably the body of the brush is made of steel and the insert 4 is of tungsten and is fixed as by welding in an axial slot cut across the transversely curved inner end of the steel body. The key and keyway connection at 3 3 insures that the brush will be positioned in proper relation to the contacts 6. The free end of the coil spring 5 abuts an oil guard or shield 16 interposed between the holder 3 and a shoulder 2 formed on the shaft 2. The shield 16 provents oil from working along the cam shaft into the timer casing 1 and thence onto the contacts 6, and preferably has its rim inwardly bent as indicated at 16 at an angle of about 15 so that any oil collecting upon the shield will fiow towards the axis of rotation when the cam shaft 2 is at rest and will not pass inwardly towards the make and break member f and contacts6. IVhen the cam shaft 2 is revolving, the oil is thrown outwardly away from the oil shield by centrifugal force, since the oil shield 16 is clamped to said shaft against the shoulder 2 thereof by the brush holder 3 and hence rotates therewith. Lodged on the shaft 2 between the shield 16 and the gear cover 0 is an absorbent washer 23, the inner face of the gear cover having an annular shoulder 23 within which said washer is seated.

At the opposite end of the casing 1 1s a wire cover 10. -The opposing surfaces of said casing and cover are oppositely beveled as indicated at 22 to provide an oil tight seat for the annular reduced rim 21 of the contactcarrying disc 7. The disc 7 is preferably constructed throughout of some appropriate insulating material, as fibre, and is provided at symmetrically spaced points with a series of contact members 6 corresponding in number to the number of engine cylinders.

In order to properlylocate .the contact disc 7-within the casing 1,-said casing is slitted from one end towards the other end, as indicated at 19, and the disc 7 is provided 6 wtl1-a-key= portion 20 adapted 'tolie within the keyway thus provided in the casing. See F ig. II. In addition to its function as a keyway, the slit 19ialso-servesas a drain for any oil which may drip from the oil ...shield; 16. Moreover due to the inherent resi liencyof the metallic casing, said slit -=tends .to-: close, thereby causing the disc 7.=to be tightly clamped. .Thedisc 7 hasan enlarged axial 'openwing the-rethrough within which the inner end of the camshaft 2 extends. ?The openiing,;25eis.-larger than theset nut 43 on the cam-sha'ftQ and accordingly not only peramitsaaccesswto said-amt butinitse. t constitutesa sightopening through which the win ing; to. thercontacts -ti may be viewed withontdismantling the entire timer. Inasn1uch .as entrance of oil into the timer casing is ;.-preventedby: theoil-shieldilti and oil tight joint; at:r22- the axial inspection opening maycbe sa-fe-lyinade inthefldisc'7 without idainger ofoil.accumulating:upon the con-tact surfaces- 6.

The contacts 6 are-simple inserts of steel -ior= othersuitable conducting material set :through the disc land havingtheir exposed isurtaces i all disposed in the same plane.

' -Eaelrcontacttiis mounted on binding post stl avilthwhich connect'the lead-wires-8 to 2 the COlllillIlltS'flfll-Cl spark plugs of the engine -=cylintlers Preferably: the; inner face of. the 'QGllSO TK isrradially slotted as indicated at 7 ZEig. V1,. to receive the inserts (i.

The inserts GaareVthusrelievedcat their sides, 1 by said slots. 7 i so; that the' brush t iiswhollysupported on the metallic contacts .asitrides ontoia contact. This actionss z-illustrated diagrammatically in v-Fig'. V an-herein: the contactpoint l pot the bruslrl: is shown as riding nponone of: the: @inserted contacts 6 along a single line of: contact only and said-line of contact is parallel-with the-front edge of the insert. Thisins.ures .a =clea-n 'an'd positive. contact. The :lIlEIlIQ-illltl -break'action therefore is not-ionly aelean one but isa full one, since. the brush comes fully onto each contact surface-6 onxa siu zle line of contact-as distinguished from axline of contact which is partially :on the: insert (3 and partially on thetfibreot the disc '7. This .fltatahle casing and a relatively stationary wire cover, a contact carrier clamped -l 0 'tween said casing androvcr. a rotor insaid casing,; a lug externz'i lly ot said wire cover. .andan arm 'iixed at one end an l--slotted is due'to the'fa'ct'that although the hrush'as aavhole is radialto theaxis of rotation of the shaft 2; theaxisofcuruature atthe con- -tact end of the brush'is'perpendicular to but iwhereinthe offset.relationisvisually indil cated by'the. broken. linesA, B and (315111 the several successive phases of travel of t the hrush .abouts the shaft 2. *F-roin'this.figure it will be apparent that the contact pointy end of thespring retaining a-rm'13. free end of sand a12m= 13 is forked as indicated at;13 see Fig. I, to'ri'it over the lugl'il4. 'llhe .Inaintains constantly .its oftset relation I throughout the entire revolution oli the shaft .lDOllDtCl as to the casing; by a spring 13 -.\'vh1ch issecuredat one end upon the gear :cover so that-said cover 10 is heldstationary during the rotation of the shelll by itsarm 12' toadvance or retard the spark. To this end the coverltl has an integral luc- 1-1: ,on

its outer face with which engages the tree fork 13 allows thearm 1i; to-tind its own -center.

The loomL for thelead wires 8 enters :the cap 10 fro1n-helow andhas an outlet openin; 11 for themvnes-B disposedixn-substantially the longitudinalax-is of the timer.

s,The wires -8 theretcreulezul.into the timer '-,shell;axially and by this construction :are protectcdagamst the excessive twist which results with lead wires which enter the shell zperipherallywhen thetim-er shell is turned to advance or -rctard the spark. 'lhe loom -is held within the cap '10 with its outlet opening 11 disposed in the axis of the timer shell byiaxrivet'lo. see Fig. I. which extends through the -loom and cap, and has its outer endch'nched over. the lugril on said cap. Said loom is also utilized as a conductor for the li'gihtingwiresl 17 to the headlights ot the machine.

It will be noted that the brush 4-z-is deeply .-recessed to receive the major portionuot' the spring 5 and that the outer end of the-spring is: bent outwardlyras; indicated ,at. 5; tozform :a' lockbetween the brush holder o oil shield E 16.

:It :wi-ll also he .noted'thatt-the:brush 4 on leaving .an insert 6-: (sceZFigr. Vl-is sup- 7 an d the ported by'therfibre of the disc 7. and hcine offsentileaves the insert gradually. thereby reducing the burning; eifectjas the circuit. is

broken.

Vhat We therefore claimranddesire to securehyl Letters. Patent is 1-. A timer comprising .a relatively -ro- 'wire coversagainst movement upon; rotation 0t: the-casmg.

.2. A timercomprising .a a relatively rotatable casing and a relatively stationary Wire cover, a contact carrier having a reduced annular rim clamped between the opposing edges of said casing and cover, a rotor in said casing, a lug externally of said wire cover, and an arm fixed at one end and forked at its free end to engage and automatically center itself upon said lug and holding saidwire cover against moven'ientupon rotation of the casing.

3. A timer comprising a relatively rotatable casing having a longitudinally extending slit, a relatively stationary wire cover, a contact carrier having a reduced annular rim clamped between the opposing edges of said casing and cover, and having a key portion disposed in said slit of the casing, a rotor in said casing, and means for holding said cover against movement upon rotation of said casing.

4. In a timer, oppositely disposed casing and cover members, one of said members having a longitudinally extending slit, and a contact carrier having a key portion disposed in said slit.

5. In a timer, oppositely disposed casing and cover members, one of said members having a longitudinally extending slit, and a contact carrier having a key portion disposed in said slit and having a reduced annular portion clamped between the opposing edges of said casing and cover members.

6. In a timer, oppositely disposed casing and cover members, one of said members having a longitudinally extenoting slit, and a disc mounted within said members and having an axial inspection opening, a plurality of spaced contact elements on said disc about said opening, an annular mounting rim on said disc clamped between the opposing edges of said casing and cover members and a longitudinally disposed key portion disposed in said slit.

7. In a timer, a plurality of spaced stationary contacts, and a rotatable brush having a curved contact end, the axis of curvature being perpendicular to but offset from the axis of rotation of the brush so that said contact end will come upon each stationary contact along a single line of hearing.

8. In a timer, a plurality of spaced stationary contacts, and a rotatable brush having a curved contact end, the axis of ourvature being perpendicular to but offset from the axis of rotation of the brush so that said contact end will come upon each stationary contact along a single line of bearing which is substantially parallel to the near edge of said contact.

9. In a timer, a plurality of spaced stationary contacts, and a rotatable brush having a curved contact end and having an axial bearing surface inserted into said end and of a material harder than the body of the brush proper, the axis of curvature being perpendicular to but offset from the axis of rotation of the brush so that said insert will come upon each stationary contact along a single line of bearing.

10. In a timer, a plurality of spaced stationary contacts, and a rotatable brush having a curved} contact end, and having an axial bearing surface inserted into said end and of a material harder than the body of the brush proper, the axis of curvature being perpendicular to but offset from the axis of rotation of the brush so that said insert will come upon each stationary contact along a single line of hearing which is substantially parallel to the near edge of said contact.

11. In a timer,'a rotatable brush comprising a body portion having a curved contact end, the axis of curvature being perpendicular to but offset from the axis of rotation of the brush.

12. In a timer, a rotatable brush comprising a body portion having a curved contact end, and a bearing surface of a material harder than said body portion inserted axially into said contact end, the axis of curvature being perpendicular to but ofi'- set from the axis of rotation of the brush.

13. In a timer, an insulated contact carrier having a plurality of spaced stationarv contacts, and a rotatable brush having a curved contact end, the axis of curvature being perpendicular to but offsetfrom the axis of rotation of the brush so that said contact end will come upon each stationary contact along a single line of bearing which is substantially parallel to the near edge of said contact, and will leave the opposite edge of each contact at an acute angle thereto, said contact end finding immediate sup port on the contact carrier as it passes off each contact.

14. In a timer, an insulated contact carrier having a plurality of spaced stationary contacts, and a rotatable brush having a curved contact end, the axis of curvature being perpendicular to but oiiset from the axis of rotation of the brush so that said contact end Will leave each stationary con-- tact at an acute angle thereto and will find immediate support on the contact carrier.

In testimony whereof we atiix our signatures.

EDMOND E. FOURNIER. MER-TON I. VESTAL. 

